1996 1997
1998 1999
2000
2002 2003
2004 2005
2006
ACCESSING THE ARCHIVES
1996 1997
1998 1999
2000
2002 2003
2004 2005
2006
This retrospective delves into the historic issues of
SportsTurf magazine, predecessor to SportsField Management magazine. We journey back to 2001 for this edition of Accessing the Archives.
“ This is an exciting time for sports turf managers and for the profession of sports turf management,” the January cover story stated.“ Participation in sports is beginning at an ever-younger age. The growing enthusiasm for soccer is creating the demand for more field time and for more fields. Rapidly advancing technology is reflected in the design and construction of new stadiums across the world.
“ It’ s also a demanding time for sports turf managers, a time that calls for enhancing one’ s own knowledge and skills to meet the multiple challenges of new technology, increased field use demands and field quality expectations,” the article continued. The article went on to outline how STMA was moving forward with the industry, which was reflected in it’ s new( at the time) mission statement,“ To be the recognized leader strengthening in the sports turf industry and enhancing members’ competence and the acknowledgement of their professionalism.”
The February 2001 issue featured a profile of St. Paul,
Minnesota’ s Midway Stadium, the Professional Baseball Field of the Year winner. The team, which had actor Bill Murray and promoter Mike Veeck as part of its ownership, was known for its entertainment and its attendance records. The article detailed how Head Groundskeeper Connie Rudolph, CSFM, had to share a maintenance area with a pen for a pig that carried out the game balls; oddities such as an elephant throwing out the first pitch; and hundreds of ping pong balls pelting the field from a hovering helicopter, followed by a convergence of fans seeking the balls marked for the best prizes.
March 2001 SportsTurf included a special focus on mowers, with one article on selecting the right mower and another on the maintenance of both reel and rotary mowers. April 2001, meanwhile, shared an in-depth piece about the management of PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, including pre-season preparation, daily maintenance, post-game routines, and end-of-season maintenance.
42 SportsField Management | May 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com